1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to global positioning systems. More particularly, the invention is a mapping and addressing system suitable for use with secure remote access systems, and in particular, with remote access devices capable of browsing web pages.
2. The Prior Art
Global position systems (GPS) are known for providing location and tracking information to users of such systems. For example, some automobile manufacturers have equipped their vehicles with proprietary GPS devices fixed to the vehicle's dashboard or instrument panel to provide the vehicle occupants with such geographical data as the physical location and street address of the vehicle.
The need for such geographical data (i.e., locational and directional data) is readily apparent in other scenarios where the user is mobile including, for example, where the user is accessing public transportation systems. To meet this demand, handheld devices have been developed to provide the user with the same geographical data provided by legacy GPS systems. For example, the personal digital assistant (PDA) developed by Handspring™ is configured to receive an add-in GPS module (Geode by GeoDiscovery™) which the user can use to provide similar travel guide data as conventional GPS systems.
Solutions have also been developed for notebook and other portable computers. These solutions provide GPS hardware and software installable on the portable computer and provide conventional GPS geographical data as other systems.
A common disadvantage to prior art GPS solutions, whether fixed in a vehicle or mobile (such as PDAs and notebook computers) is the need for proprietary hardware and/or software. Prior art GPS solutions will not generally function across multiple platforms and operating systems. For example, the GPS system designed for vehicles will not generally operate on a PDA or notebook computer. Conversely, PDS GPS solutions will not generally operation on vehicle GPS systems.
Another disadvantage present with prior art GPS solutions is the common requirement to provide both source and destination addresses when obtaining driving directions. This problem is reduced where the user has such information locally stored on the GPS device, such as, when the GPS device is a PDA and the requisite addresses are stored on the PDA's address book, for example. However, in many cases the required address may be located on another machine, remote for the actual GPS device. In these cases, the use may be required to manually enter the address sought or otherwise obtain the address remotely.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mapping and addressing system suitable for use with secure remote access systems, and in particular, with remote access devices capable of browsing web pages, to thereby provide an open application standard for GPS support and to further provide access to remote address data otherwise previously unavailable. The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in the background art.